These are the rubrics that MTS staff use for evaluating TS4 CAS content shared here. The corresponding guidelines may be found here: MTS Creator Guidelines: TS4 CAS



Note to moderators: This first post (the summary) must be maintained manually. If you delete or add a rubric item or reorder anything, please edit this first post. All edits to Common Rubrics requiring editing its summary must be manually updated on every single individual rubric thread. Please copy the # link to use in the summaries, not the post number, to view the individual post.

Quality
1. Textures - Clarity
2. Textures - Brightness
3. Textures - Black and white
4. Textures - Highlights and shadows
5. Textures - Details
6. Textures - Bumpmaps
7. **Textures - Adult skintones
7.5. Textures - Seamlessness
8. **Meshes - Polygon count
9. **Meshes - Morphs
10. **Meshes - UV Map
11. **Meshes - Mesh Shape
12. **Choice of Mesh

Files
1. Correct files
50. (From common rubrics) Rar, zip, 7z

Information
1. (From common rubrics) Title
2. (From common rubrics) Description
3. Required info
5. Search Parameters and Upload Type
6. Expansion, Stuff and Game Packs Required

Screenshots
1. Show everything
2. **Multiple angles
3. **Meshes - Show morphs
4. **Skintones - Ages, Genders, Colours
5. **Skintones - Censored
6. In-game
7. Uncovered
8. Thumbnail & Swatch
50. (From common rubrics) Size
51. (From common rubrics) Lighting
52. (From common rubrics) Clarity
53. (From common rubrics) Distance
54. (From common rubrics) Distortion
55. (From common rubrics) Photoshopping
56. (From common rubrics) Attached
57. (From common rubrics) Show all items
58. (From common rubrics) Inline images

Other
1. (From common rubrics) Pay or pirated content
2. (From common rubrics) Adult content
3. (From common rubrics) Content we do not allow
4. (From common rubrics) Credits

Special

Note: These are the only rubric items that can be rejected for on their own, with no other rubric items selected at all.

1. (From common rubrics) Uploader requested
2. (From common rubrics) Stolen content
3. (From common rubrics) Other
4. (From common rubrics) Duplicate
5. (From common rubrics) Uploads in Sets
6. (From common rubrics) Not Completed Requested Changes

1:The textures are very blurry, crunchy, and/or pixellated. Make sure that you are not sizing up small images as bases for your textures as that will cause blurring and pixellation. You can compare to EA or good custom textures to see what clear, crisp textures look like.

2:The textures are somewhat blurry, crunchy, and/or pixellated. Make sure that you are not sizing up small images as bases for your textures as that will cause blurring and pixellation. You can compare to EA or good custom textures to see what clear, crisp textures look like.

3:The textures are a bit blurry, crunchy, and/or pixellated, but not terribly so. Make sure that you are not sizing up small images as bases for your textures as that will cause blurring and pixellation. You can compare to EA or good custom textures to see what clear, crisp textures look like.

4:Your textures are clear, crisp, and un-pixellated. Nice!

5:Your textures are perfectly clear, crisp, and un-pixellated. Well done!

1: The textures are far too bright and saturated. Try about 80% saturation for items that are meant to look neon or day-glo in-game, and even less for items not meant to be neon/day-glo.

2: The textures are somewhat too bright and saturated. Try about 80% saturation for items that are meant to look neon or day-glo in-game, and even less for items not meant to be neon/day-glo.

3: The textures are a little bit too bright and saturated. Next time, consider using a lower saturation. Try about 80% saturation for items that are meant to look neon or day-glo in-game, and even less for items not meant to be neon/day-glo.

5: Your textures are just right - not too bright or too saturated. Well done.

1: Some or all of the textures appear to be pure black or pure white, which do not display correctly in-game. Instead, you should use very light grey for white, and very dark grey for black, which will still look like black and white in-game but will display properly. For more info, see: Tiptorial: Black and White

3: Some small parts of the textures appear to be pure black or pure white, which do not display correctly in-game. The affected parts are so tiny that it doesn't make a big difference to the overall quality, but in future, you should use very light grey for white, and very dark grey for black, which will still look like black and white in-game but will display properly. For more info, see: Tiptorial: Black and White

5: Your textures don't use any pure black or pure white. Great!

1:The textures appear to be a flat colour or pattern fill without any shadows or highlights. Try adding a bit of highlighting to areas to areas that would be convex or raised from the surface, and shadows to areas that would be concave or lowered from the surface. See: Tutorials: How to add shadows and highlights. Even skin-tight items should have some shadows and highlights. This is a TS2 tutorial, but the principles are the same in TS4.

2:The textures appear to be mostly a flat colour or pattern fill, with very little shadows or highlights. Try adding a bit more highlighting to areas to areas that would be convex or raised from the surface, and a bit more shadows to areas that would be concave or lowered from the surface. See: Tutorials: How to add shadows and highlights. Even skin-tight items should have some shadows and highlights. This is a TS2 tutorial, but the principles are the same in TS4.

3:Your textures have some shadows and highlights, giving contour and dimension. In future it might be worth it to add a bit more shadows and highlights, though. See: Tutorials: How to add shadows and highlights This is a TS2 tutorial, but the principles are the same in TS4.

4:Your textures have some nice shadows and highlights, giving contour and dimension.

5:Your textures have excellent shadows and highlights, giving great contour and dimension. Goed zo!

1:The textures have no details such as gathers, pleats, pockets, buttons, seams, laces, hems, etc (or details like bellybuttons and muscles on skins). Try opening some EA or nice custom textures and taking a look at the details on them for inspiration.

2:The textures have some details, but those details are sized or placed incorrectly. Clothing should not stop abruptly at the neckline, sleeves, or other edges, and gathers, pleats, pockets, buttons, seams, laces, hems, etc., (or details like bellybuttons and muscles on skins) should be scaled correctly and placed in the right location, and should fit the mesh used.

3:The textures have some details, and the sizing and placement fits the item and the shape of the mesh.

4:Your textures have nice details with everything correctly sized and shaded. Yay!

5:The details on your textures are exquisite, with everything sized, placed, and textured just so. Excellent work!

1:The bump map doesn't match the texture. This can be because it wasn't changed from the original bump map on the mesh, or because it's just a desaturated version of the texture.|Tiptorial: Bump Maps

1:The bump mapping is too harsh, with too much contrast, creating more of a 3D effect than it should.|Tiptorial: Bump Maps

3:Your bump map is pretty good. It's not over-strong, and the details you've chosen to bumpmap are appropriate - OR you have used a neutral bump map to remove the bump mapping entirely.|Tiptorial: Bump Maps

4:Your bump mapping is quite good. The strength of the bumps is right, and you've bumpmapped all the right areas. Nice job!

5:Your bump map is fantastic. It makes your textures look perfectly 3D and very realistic. Excellent!

1: The skintones have genitals or pubic hair. Skintones shared on MTS must be totally "barbie" below the waist; if you want to upload anatomically correct versions, you may share them on our adult site, Sexy Sims.

5: Your skintones do not have any genitals or pubic hair, so they're fine on MTS. Thanks!

1:The poly count is extremely high - far too high for the type of object, and will require major reworking to lower the count to an acceptable level.|Tiptorial: Low-Poly Modelling - How and Why

2:We can't evaluate your polygon count as there isn't one included. See the Information section on how to find the poly count and include it.

3:The poly count for the item is somewhat high, but not exceedingly high. If you haven't already, it would be a good idea to put a little warning on it (in bold) for downloaders - something like "The poly count for this item is on the high side, so if you have a weak graphics card, try to use it sparingly." For future meshes, make sure you're modelling things as low-poly as possible.|Tiptorial: Low-Poly Modelling - How and Why

4:The polygon count for your item is good - not too high, and you've used the polys well. Lovely!

5:The polygon count for your item is great! Quite reasonably low, with every poly used just so. Well done!

1:The UV/texture mapping seems quite distorted, and will unfortunately require some major reworking.

3:The UV/texture mapping looks pretty good, with no major distortion.

4:The UV/texture mapping is good and undistorted. Nicely done!

5:The UV/texture mapping looks great, with no distortion anywhere and really done beautifully for maximum versatility. Huzzah!

1:The mesh shape is very distorted, or otherwise doesn't look realistic. Custom content doesn't have to be perfectly realistic, but it should have a plausible shape, and obey most of the laws of physics.

2:The mesh shape is a little distorted, or needs some work to make it look realistic. Custom content doesn't have to be perfectly realistic, but it should be close: meshes should normally respect gravity, sims' proportions should be believable, and so on.

3:The mesh shape isn't perfectly realistic, or has some small distortions or other problems, but it's pretty good overall.

4:Your mesh is realistic, hangs naturally, and is generally very good!

5:Your mesh is fantastic: the shape, hang, proportions and other elements are excellent. Nice one!

1:The mesh chosen doesn't match the style and textures, or has serious flaws. Finding the right mesh can be difficult: sometimes textures may have to be reworked, or compromises made in order for them to work with the mesh; or a different mesh may have to be used.

5:The mesh you've chosen for your textures looks like a good match for the style and your textures.

1:You have uploaded the wrong files: that may mean tray files containing a sim who is wearing your content, or a texture image. You need to upload the .package file which is created by ColorMagic, Sims4Studio or another Sims4 compatible tool.

1:Your upload is a recolour of a mesh you made yourself, but you haven't included the mesh. Make sure to attach the mesh as well, so downloaders can get all the needed files in one place. You may need to tick "new mesh" as the upload type as well, and provide additional pictures and information for your new mesh.

5:You've uploaded working .package files containing your content. Perfect!

1: The upload text does not include any information about your new mesh's polygon counts, which you can find by checking your mesh in your 3d editor.
1: The upload text does not include any information about the required mesh for your creation. You must provide a credit to the original creator, mentioning them by name ("Mesh by Soandso") as well as providing a clickable link to where the mesh may be found. You should make it clear that the mesh is required but not included, if you have not included it with your files, so downloaders know they will need to get it separately.

2: There is some information about your new mesh's polygon counts, but that information appears to be incomplete or incorrect. Please double-check the polygon count, which you can find by checking your mesh in your 3d editor.
2: There is some information about the mesh required for your creation, but that information appears to be incomplete or incorrect. Please double-check your info, and make sure to include a credit by name ("Mesh by Soandso") and a clickable link to where the mesh may be found.

5:You have included all of the required information about the required mesh(es) in your description. Thanks!

1:The screenshots do not show enough of what you have made. If you are using all the same textures in different colours, you can do one full-size picture of one colour, and smaller swatches of the rest. If you're using all different textures, you must show full-size pictures of everything.

5:Your screenshots are a good preview of everything you've made. Thanks!

1:When sharing a new mesh or mesh edit, the screenshots should show it from multiple angles - at least the front, back, and sides.

3:Recolours don't have to be shown from more than one angle, but it's helpful to include pics of the back and sides as well as the front.

5:Your screenshots show your new mesh/mesh edit from multiple angles (front, back, and sides). Yay!
5:You've gone the extra mile to show your recolour from multiple angles, thankyou!

1:The screenshots do not give a sufficient impression of the skintone - make sure to show it on different ages, genders, and colours (if applicable). You don't have to show every possible combination, but the screenshots should give a good overall idea of how the skin looks on the different ages, genders, and colours.

3:The screenshots give a sufficient impression of the skintone on different ages, genders, and colours (if applicable). A few more pictures to give a better idea of how it looks might be good, but what's there now is okay. Thanks.

5:The screenshots give a great idea of the skintone on different ages, genders, and colours (if applicable), so that one can have a good impression of the skintone from your pics. Excellent!

1:The creation is so covered up that it's not really possible to see the quality. When sharing makeup or eyes, or taking screenshots of skintones, don't use any other makeup on the model's face, and be sure to use a hairstyle that doesn't have bangs/fringe in the way. For clothing or full-body skintone pictures, make sure to use poses that show the creation well - walking or standing rather than sitting or standing or with limbs in the way. Avoid using long hairstyles that cover up large parts of the creation.

3:Some of your creation is covered up a little bit in the screenshots, but not so much that it's impossible to see the quality of what you've made.

5:Your content is nicely presented, without any poses, makeup, hairstyles, etc. getting in the way of being able to see it clearly. Hooray!

1:The screenshots of the skintone are not covered/censored. Skintone models should either be nude and then have the important bits (female nipples, and the genitals and butt crack of both genders) censored in a photo editor, or they should be wearing skimpy underwear or swimsuits which cover those areas but not much more.

2:The screenshots of the skintone are covered, but too much has been covered to get an accurate idea of what the skintone will look like. Skintone models should either be nude and then have the important bits (female nipples, and the genitals and butt crack of both genders) censored in a photo editor, or they should be wearing skimpy underwear or swimsuits which cover those areas but not much more.

2:The screenshots of the skintone are covered, but there are some areas which should be censored that are still clearly visible. Skintone models should either be nude and then have the important bits (female nipples, and the genitals and butt crack of both genders) censored in a photo editor, or they should be wearing skimpy underwear or swimsuits which cover those areas but not much more.

3:The screenshots of the skintone are covered over the important bits (female nipples, and the genitals and butt crack of both genders).

5:The screenshots of your skintone are covered over the important bits, but just enough for censoring and not a bit more, so all the rest of the skin can be very well seen. Thanks!

1:Your texture has seams in places it shouldn't. Textures should only have obvious seams where two parts meet - for example, the join between the sleeve and body of a shirt. If you're having trouble making a repeating pattern to use on your texture, we have a tutorial which can help. | Seamless Textures Tutorial

3:Your texture has a few seams in places it shouldn't, but they're not too visible and don't look out of place. If you're having trouble making a repeating pattern to use on your texture, we have a tutorial which can help. | Seamless Textures Tutorial

5:Your texture has no seams, or the seams are all natural-looking and in the right place!

2: The search parameters or mesh type (new mesh, recolour etc.) selected for this upload are incorrect. If you're not sure what some of the search parameters mean, or if you don't know which ones apply to this upload, please feel free to ask in the Creator Issues forum.

5: The search parameters and upload type information are all correct. Thankyou!

1:Please double check that the Expansion Packs (EPs), Stuff Packs (SPs) or Game Packs (GPs) requirements are clear and correct. You have either ticked some packs as required which are not required for your creation to work - OR you have forgotten to mark some packs which are needed.

5: The Expansion Pack, Stuff Pack and Game Pack requirements are clear and correct. Thanks!

1: There are no directions given for how to find this item in CAS. Please include either a written description of the item's age, gender, and CAS category, or a screenshot showing the thumbnail in CAS. This is so downloaders will be able to find your upload in their games.

2: The info about how to find this item in CAS is incomplete. Please include a written description of the item's age, gender, and CAS categories. This is so downloaders will be able to find your upload in their games.

5: You have included written directions for where to find this item in CAS, making it easy for downloaders to find the item in their games!

5: You have included a screenshot which shows this item's thumbnail in CAS, making it easy for downloaders to find the item in their games!

1:Make sure all of the required screenshots are taken in-game. Whether this is in create-a-sim or in-game, that doesn't matter. Pictures taken in any other way (Body Shop, a 3D editor, texture file, etc) are not allowed as required screenshots. You may include screenshots not taken in-game as extras if you desire.
3:All of the required screenshots are taken in-game. Thanks!
5:All of the screenshots, including both required and extra screenshots, are taken in-game, on a lot and/or CAS. Thanks!